GFCF Weekly Roundup: Carrot Cake

GFCF Carrot Cake
Ingredients

For the cake
1 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups grated carrots
2 cups + 1 Tablespoon gluten free flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Few grates of fresh nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

For the icing
1/4 cup EarthBalance butter substitute
4 ounces Tofutti cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted pecans

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a bundt pan. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of gf flour into the pan and tap the sides and bottom to lightly coat the interior of the pan with gf flour. Shake out excess flour.

Place the oil, sugar and eggs in a mixer and blend until incorporated. Add the carrots and mix briefly.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the gf flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda.

Add the gluten free flour mixture to the sugar-egg mixture and mix until well incorporated. Stir in the nuts. Transfer batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a baking rack and let cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing. Place the EarthBalance and Tofutti cream cheese in a mixer and mix until incorporated, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to mix. (If the icing is too thick, thin with a little milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a spreadable consistency.)

When the cake has cooled, spread with the icing. Sprinkle with toasted pecans. Slice into wedges and serve.

Menu Mondays: Perfect Winter Lunch

This has to be one of my all-time favorite menus. Featuring liquid warmth and comfort in the form of a creamy potato soup, a great new take on a childhood favorite and the perfect make-ahead dessert- this recipe is great for a hearty winter lunch or light dinner!

On the menu...
Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Creamy Potato Soup
Chocolate Chili Dessert Cups

Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Makes one sandwich.
Ingredients
2 slices Udi's whole grain or sandwich bread, defrosted if frozen
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1-1 1/2 teaspoons basil pesto
2 slices of provolone cheese, torn or cut to fit on the bread slices

Directions
Preheat griddle or panini grill. Begin by lightly buttering one side of each bread slices. Stick bread slices, buttered-sides together, to each other and spread half of the pesto on each slice. Peel apart slices and place first slice butter-side down on grill or griddle. Layer cheese on the bread slice until gone, top with remaining slice.

Cook until golden brown on bottom, then flip and repeat.

Product Review: Mixes from the Heartland Hawai'ian Bread

I’ll be honest, when I received this mix as a hostess gift, I was more than a little skeptical. I am not a fan of tropical flavors or sweet pastries and somehow, knowing that this mix was from Harry and David did little to bolster my confidence -- but I was so wrong. We baked up the mix within a day or so (to be able to provide honest feedback to the gift-giver, of course) and were pleasantly surprised. The mix comes together in minutes and is one of the least labor intensive bread recipes I have ever encountered. Even better, the bread only improves after sitting (wrapped) overnight, giving the flavors some time to get to know each other a little better -- if it even lasts that long! I would absolutely find it and make it again!

Easily dairy free, the recipe itself is super easy - simply substitute EarthBalance for real butter!

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, cream 1 cup softened butter and 4 eggs. Add dry mix. Blend well. Grease 1-2 lb loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. DO NOT UNDERBAKE. ** May add 1/4 cup milk, if dough seems too dry.

Ingredients
Brown and white rice flour (organic), cornstarch (NON GMO), tapioca starch, xanthan gum, sugar, non aluminum baking powder, coconut, freeze dried papaya and pineapple, vanilla powder (cornstarch-NON GMO and vanilla beans)

Taste
With just the right amount of sweetness and fruit, this bread must be cornbread’s delicious distant cousin.

Texture
A little bit on the crumbly side, the texture compares well to cornbread - moist without being mushy, and not so dry as to crumble into bits with every bite.

Storage
The ready-to-use packets are just the right size to have on hand for brunch or a sweet snack!

Availability
In select Harry and David locations and available online.

Overall Score (4.0)
A delicious for breakfast, brunch or any time, the bread is ready in minutes and thoroughly enjoyed by foodies, gluten-free or otherwise!

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Chicken Wings

What says "Superbowl Party" like pizza, beer and chicken wings? Unfortunately, for those of us who are gluten-ly challenged (aka intolerant or have Celiac Disease), all of these down and dirty party favorite are a big "no-no" - but have no fear, our Super Bowl Promotion is here! Featuring the best in pizza, beer and snacks, this promotion helps direct you to the best available.

Grilled Chicken Wings
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup gluten free ketchup
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons gluten free brown sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons gf chili paste
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon gluten free hot sauce
14 chicken wings, washed

Directions
Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add oil. When oil is hot, add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and stir and cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and add catsup, vinegar, brown sugar, lemon juice, salt, dijon, chili paste, chili powder and hot sauce. Stir to blend and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and let cool.

Add chicken wings to a large bowl and cover with sauce.

Prepare a grill.

Grill wings for about 20 minutes or until juices run clear when pierced.

Menu Mondays: Quick and Healthy Dinner

Eating well is always a challenge -- not necessarily what to eat or when, but how to reconcile our hopes and dreams of a better diet with the time crunch of reality. There's a reason we don't prepare four course meals every evening, why we keep frozen pizza shells or burritos on hand -- we're busy people! But don't let your hectic schedule get in the way of eating well with this week's menu...

On the Menu
Edamame
Steamed Brown Rice
Teriyaki-style Beef Bowl
Low-fat Brownies with Applesauce

Either modify the brownies to be GFCF using Earthbalance and soy milk OR try Cybele Pascal's Allergy Friendly Fudge as a dairy-free substitute!

Hale's Kitchen: Jule's Gluten Free Flour Pizza Crust

In this month's edition of the magazine, we have a new feature: Hale's Kitchen. A new monthly video series featuring Hunter Hale, our teen chef in residence, teaching a cooking class. This month's recipe is for Jule's GF Flour pizza crust (our favorite so far). In this month's video, Hunter shows us how to make both Jule's GF Flour pizza crust and turn it into a pepperoni pizza. We are so excited to have two fantastic video cooking classes - Cybele Pascal's allergy friendly webisodes and now, Hunter in Hale's Kitchen.

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Raisin Bread

Because sometimes all you want in the morning is a slice of moist and delicious cinnamon raisin bread, this recipe is an allergy friendly crowd pleaser!

GFCF Raisin Bread
Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
2 Tablespoons water
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tablespoon orange zest
1 cup Tofutti sour cream substitute
2 cups gluten free flour (like Jules)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/4 cups raisins

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a loaf pan.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, egg whites, water, sugar, oil and orange zest until blended. Stir in sour cream. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients and beat until blended. Stir in raisins. Spread batter into loaf pan and bake for 1-1/4 hours or until the sides come away from the pan and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes.

Menu Monday: Warm & Cozy Winter Meal

With a new spin on some comfort food classics, this week's menu will keep you warm and toasty on even the coldest and snowiest of nights! Better yet, this meal is perfect for company - just adjust each recipe as needed to serve the number of guests in attendance!

Make this menu GFCF/Dairy-free by substituting EarthBalance for butter in the recipes, omitting the biscuits and swapping out the Butterscotch Pie for Cybele Pascal's Allergy-Friendlty Fudge!

On the Menu
Gougere with Cheddar and Pecans
Apple, Walnut & Endive Salad
Braised Beef with Soft Polenta
Broccoli Casserole
Butterscotch Mousse Pie

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Coconut Tapioca Custard

One of our tried and true favorites, this soymilk based custards is silky and delicious! Topped with sliced bananas and toasted coconut, this dessert combines the best of silky and crunchy, sweet and salty. Perhaps add a drizzle of homemade rum caramel for a more decadent option.

Coconut Tapioca Custard
Ingredients

1 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons soy milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup uncooked, quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 teaspoon salt
One 14-ounce can coconut milk
1 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sliced bananas & shredded coconut for garnish

Directions
In a medium saucepan whisk together soy milk, sugar, tapioca, salt, coconut milk, and egg. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Bring to a boil over medium heat; stirring constantly. Cook for 30 seconds at a boil; stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.

Pour mixture into individual ramekins. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

To serve: slice bananas over the top of each custard and sprinkle with shredded coconut.

Recipe of the Week: Artichokes with Ricotta, Spinach & Pine Nuts

The New Year is always a time of reflection, introspection and reevaluation, and probably the most common resolutions involve dieting and weight loss. Let Glutenfreeda help you eat healthier this year, all of our recipes use fresh "real" ingredients and can help you to be the best possible you!

Low Fat Artichokes with Ricotta, Spinach and Pine Nuts

Ingredients
2 artichokes (top trimmed and sharp ends of leaves cut off)
1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
5 oz. chopped, frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 ounces ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the artichokes, cover, and cook for about 40 minutes or until the artichoke leaves can be pulled away with only slight resistance. Remove the artichokes from the water and let cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, sauté the shallots for about 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic; sauté for 30 seconds. Add the drained spinach and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ricotta, lemon juice, and pine nuts. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let cool.

Spoon the ricotta mixture into a bowl and serve alongside the artichokes.

Tips
To toast the pine nuts, place the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook the pine nuts, shaking the pan occasinally, until lightly browned on all sides. Note: watch the pine nuts carefully as they cook - it is real easy to burn them instead of the intended "toasting".

Menu Mondays: Satisfying Low Fat Dinner

I don't know about you, but I love winter - clear, crisp mornings, staying warm by the fire, hitting the slopes - the whole shebang - but most especially, winter comfort foods. Richy & hearty, creamy & cheesy, as far as I am concerned there is nothing not to love about these wintertime favorites! That being said, they are maybe not the most um, health conscious choices - so here is a collection of some of our favorite low-fat recipes to keep you warm this winter!

Skillet Toasted Almonds
Mixed Greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette & Apple Slices
Chicken with Winter Vegetables
Low-Fat Brownies